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It's the new liquid pick-me-up, dubbed the first ever ultra-premium luxury energy drink. What's better is that this beverage actually tastes good and comes bottled in an eco-friendly package.

It's a pretty cool thing when posh meets practicality. The only thing cooler than the drink is its creator, Maurice Kanbar.
Kanbar is one of San Francisco's own. The guy is a super inventor. His resume spans longer than the Golden Gate, he owns more patents than I do stilettos.

I had the pleasure of meeting this local innovator and I'm still not quite sure if it was the Rubyy Blood Orange or Kanbar himself, but when I left I felt ... different.

I arrived at Kanbar's "office" around 4 p.m ... I use the term office loosely, because it was really a giant wing on the top floor of a towering residential building (all owned by MK) that could've easily been the one featured in last month's 6-page editorial in Town & Country magazine.

The decor was luxurious, yet so comfortable, accented with tiny punches of eclectic here and there ... this was the formula which remained consistent throughout everything that surrounded the great Kanbar ... from his clothing to his lastest elixir.

I was greeted by Chris Huddleston, a long time family friend who introduced me to his "uncle" Maurice. Chris, a charming ivy league-looking guy, is the named co-founder of Rubyy and he possessed the same genuine friendliness of his mentor. Their bond could be seen and felt, like the kind between a father and son.

The gents wasted no time in getting a chilled sample of Rubyy to my lips, while they rattled off some of the stats about their hot new prize ... and hot, it was.

No, not in temperature ... we're talking haute.

When Chris handed me the chic onyx bottle, I didn't know if I wanted to drink from it or hot glue gun a leather strap to its ends and rock it as eco-couture. Come to find out, the packaging was custom-designed by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey.

While the bottle looks like some kind of designer accessory, it's actually made of 100% recyclable materials and has a resealable cap. After a quick rinse, the container can be reused.

And then there's the potion inside. Rubyy is mildly carbonated which allows the flavors of the ruby blood orange fruit, grown right here in northern California, to really pop. I expected it to be sweeter, but to my (pleasant) surprise it tasted very natural with a nice, smooth finish.

Huddleston made a good point when he said, "Until now, there has been no option for the post-college and management crowd who might need a boost before an important meeting, but don't want to walk in carrying a giant can with obnoxious bright colors or some cartoon printed on it."

He went on to tell me that they don't want Rubyy to be sold at every night club in town, he said they're really looking to connect with tastemakers and with people who care about the environment.

While Huddleston outlined the inspiration behind the product, Kanbar couldn't sit still. He bustled about, carting a wide variety of his latest inventions in and out of the room. I kid you not, I saw and/or sampled at least a half dozen Kanbar creations that he has on deck. From high-tech sticky notes to a cocktail stirrer that morphs into the coolest item that I cannot disclose ... patent pending!

When Kanbar finally perched on the edge of his couch for a long pull of Rubyy, I asked him what was important to him in the creation of a new energy drink. He responded with his index finger and conviction in his voice, "Number one, taste." Then with the second finger, "Number two, mixability."

He began to name all of the concoctions that he invented; the ones that I've seen Kanye Wast and other celebs sipping on in the pages of Star magazine.

"Fruits have become pedestrian, I wanted something special; something you only see on a restaurant menu 2 times a year," Kanbar said with pride in his eyes.

The taurine, guarana and 80mg of caffeine gave me the second wind that I needed to notice that we'd been chatting it up for over an hour.

When I said I had to run, Kanbar stood up and bolted for the other room. He returned with a bag full of the random, unreleased inventions he had showcased earlier.

I thanked him.

As I headed for the elevator door Kanbar belted out, "Hey, you wanna know what the key to business is?"

I stopped dead in my tracks and reached awkwardly around my bag of goodies, digging desparately for a pen. I felt like Yoda was about to tell me the secrets of a Jedi. This is the guy who invented the first multiplex cinema in New York City, for crying out loud.

"Yes. Please," I nodded.

With complete humility and sincerity, Maurice Kanbar said in a low voice, "You simply find something and you make it better, you improve it. Then add a price that can't be beat. You give it value. Give value and you can't miss."

Maybe it was the Rubyy that switched my brain into high gear, or perhaps it was being the presence of an authentic entrepreneur who still has the burning fire of creativity in his eyes ... whatever it was, left me feeling truly inspired and rejuvenated.

Rubyy Blood Orange Energy Drink can be purchased for $2.99 at over 17 locations in SF, also check your local BevMo soon.

Each 12 fl oz bottle contains 100% RDA of B vitamins, 130 calories derived primarily from fruit juice and 80 mg of caffeine, about the same as a cup of coffee or an 8 oz Red Bull. Diet Rubyy has only 18 calories, it will hit stores next month.